Blood Duty
by YumeMori
Summary: Kagome/Wulf. Being blessed by a god was more like a curse, as Kagome soon found out. Yet her unique ability as a miko might just be the key to unlocking a dark curse on one who didn't deserve such a curse.
1. The Foreign Curse

**Disclaimer:** I can claim no ownership of _Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha_ nor the _Dark Hunter_ series for they belong to Takahashi Rumiko, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and various companies. No profit is being made from this, and everything not mine will be returned when this is done.  
**Warnings:** AR for Inuyasha; Set pre-Wulf's book; mature content; mature language.**  
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* * *

_Blood Duty_  
**The Foreign Curse**_**  
**_

"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was choice, but falling in love with you was completely out of my control."  
Written as a gift-fic for Ryukotsusei

* * *

The year of 1557 in Japan found it to be a turning point in many ways. Ways that history would never remember, not even in legends or stories.

A great evil had been defeated and a powerful jewel removed from existence. The names were best left forgotten in the long run as no one needed to know, and those who had lived through such dark times needed no reminders. Yet the non-existence of the jewel caused two reactions. The one miko who had the mark of enlightenment and love of Amaterasu-ōmikami had her soul finally free to go to the afterlife. Unlike the Western gods, Amaterasu had no desire to take the soul of the miko loyal to her. They could not die by normal and some unnatural means, but that one had found the out-clause.

Amaterasu had never gone without a miko blessed with her mark. Her one miko that she could openly communicate with about how the world was going; the woman who could provide crucial insight for her descendants, the emperors of Japan; the one human with which she could consort with freely. Because even gods needed a break from each other, to have a good chat with one who had known the fears of mortality and so could see the world through different eyes.

Yet Midoriko had left her with a more than suitable replacement. The young time-traveling miko seemed to be better than her first miko.

Her heart was just as large and untainted. Both held unimaginable power for a human. One had been great, the crowning piece of a legend forgotten; the other held the potential to be just as great, the ending of that lost legend.

When she freed Midoriko, Amaterasu knew the young girl had no idea what she had done with such an act. Yet her rules were the rules: she set free her miko, she would replace her.

It had been easy enough to fool every one of her friends into believing she had been returned to her family, yet it was only a beautiful illusion. Instead she kept the miko among the darkness of death for just a bit longer. They had much to discuss, especially about the terms of being Amaterasu no Miko. It was one thing all gods, East and West, had in common: there were always terms to keeping pets.

No friends from before. No family from before. Those two rules were the only same ones, and they existed for a very good reason. Almost always, the pet of a god had been dead. This miko was no exception. Only no one knew it: her friends of the past thought she was safely home, her family from her true time thought she was safe in the past. Yet Amaterasu and she knew the truth-only the dead could become one with the jewel.

Amaterasu was not so cruel as others to deny her miko the companionship of others. Immortality was already a cruel path; there existed no reason to make it more so. Nor did she have to hide her away from the eyes of other gods, only a fool would dare harm her miko. They were gifted with such gifts that could harm even a god. All true miko had hama no reiryoku, though they also had extra gifts.

Midoriko could not only purify souls, but she could subdue yōkai. Her replacement was untouched by other magic and curses could never hold her.

Just like the woman Amaterasu knew the girl to be, she accepted her fate with little fuss. So she left her mark on the young girl, a kiss to the forehead. Four petals appeared, a mark of enlightenment to those who did not know better. A warning to those who did: Higurashi Kagome was now hers.

* * *

Four centuries would pass before Kagome would be set on another adventure. All because of the mixing of East and West that was happening. To assume the gods were not hearing of each other and their special "pets" would be folly; if humans could mingle then so could gods. It was simply a disaster waiting to happen.

Especially for many to discover just who their counterparts were.

Though Kagome had only heard rumors during Amaterasu's brief visits through the centuries. She had no desire to watch trouble brewing between gods, no matter how hilarious some of the stories seemed. She much preferred living a simple life in Ujiyamada. Being the only miko of Amaterasu came with the curse of being unable to move away. Ujiyamada was the home of Amaterasu, housed her greatest shrine, and so she needed to be close by for whenever the god decided to visit her. It was for the best, living in seclusion on Honshu meant she would be quite unable to cross paths with any of the youkai from her past who might still live, and any of her family when that time finally came about.

At least no one questioned how she had lived for so many centuries in the same home. That would be just _fun_ to explain. It was bad enough she had grown used to wearing a bandanna around her forehead to hide her mark. Again, questions no one needed. She doubted that anyone could even see her small, ancient home. Thanks to a certain god, no doubt.

Kagome turned her head when she heard her door open. Only one ever entered her home as she never left to mingle, and she had long grown used to such unexpected visits.

"Good afternoon, Kagome," Amaterasu's feathery voice called out.

She inclined her head to the woman. "And to you, Amaterasu-ōmikami. Tired of the shrine's tea again?"

The pale-faced goddess laughed, the melody making the room seem brighter. Such was the gift of such a goddess. Kagome had grown used to that, too. Amaterasu took dainty steps toward Kagome, her traditional kimono and its long sleeves dragging across the tatami. Like the epitome of grace, she sat down next to her miko. "This Amaterasu-ōmikami cannot deny that the taste of simply-made tea is not a welcome change after centuries. However, this Amaterasu-ōmikami wishes that the tea of her miko were her only reason for visiting."

Feeling ungraceful and uncoordinated when next to the goddess, Kagome stood to gather the necessary utensils to have tea. Amaterasu always seemed to know when she had just made a pot of tea, though she was thankful for that. There was nothing more awkward than having to make tea for a guest, let alone for one many would consider the highest god of Shinto. Only when she had brought back the tea, and Amaterasu had enjoyed the first taste did she dare to continue the conversation. Though her curiosity was piqued to know what could bring Amaterasu to visit her if not a social call, she knew better than to be so rude. She could get away with less than polite speech, and if she was not imagining things Amaterasu enjoyed it when she was not unfailingly polite, but even she knew better than to push her luck. More so since luck was something that had never been on her side.

It explained the sinking feeling in her stomach. Which only increased when Amaterasu took another drink instead of answering her question as to why she was there.

The goddess placed her cup on the low table between the two, her dark eyes meeting Kagome's light ones. Had she not known Amaterasu for centuries, she would have been in awe over her beauty. However such things fade with time, which was a pity. "This Amaterasu-ōmikami has come to request that you accompany her to the West for an indefinite period of time. A matter involving that God Artemis has been brought to the attention of this Amaterasu-ōmikami. It is believed that you may be of great importance in solving this matter. Is this Amaterasu-ōmikami correct in assuming you can speak English?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, I can. Being immortal does have a few perks, as I'm sure you know." Amaterasu hid her amused, yet knowing smile behind her hand. "But, I keep out of these things. What could I possibly be able to do?"

"You are untouched by curses, are you not?"

She furrowed her brows, her mind attempting to figure out what she could be needed for. If it involved a curse, she did not know how helpful she would be. She could only banish the ones that others inflicted on her, she did not know about other people or objects. "Yes... But I don't see where this is going."

"That god Artemis has a human touched with a terrible gift. That is all this Amaterasu-ōmikami knows, more shall be revealed there."

Kagome resisted the urge to sigh as Amaterasu faded from view. It was always the same, though most times she waited until stepping out the door to disappear. She only hoped she would not be heading to America, Greece sounded like a much better place to visit.

* * *

Kagome did not get her wish. Then again, had she not already been over this with herself? Luck was not on her side.

As Amaterasu met with Artemis and some of the other gods of the West, she was left to fend for herself in Minnesota. She had not known such a state existed in America, having only heard of some of the much larger states and cities that existed. Though it was obvious it was a much colder place that she was not entirely used to experiencing. Since this was for an indefinite amount of time, she had been provided with her own house. One she would have to share with gods, she knew as Amaterasu hated being too far from her. Because of that, she just knew she would be bringing back other gods to have discussions.

Somehow she knew living with Amaterasu would be worse than living with a teenage version of her little brother. In that case, she could kick the guests out. Not so with a god's guests.

With nothing else to do until the goddess returned with some answers for her, never mind the fact that she was sure she did not want to know the answers, she headed out. While the goddess may not need to eat actual food save for when she decided to humor her priests, Kagome did. Starving oneself when one would be unable to die from it was no fun at all.

She bundled up with at least two layers of coats, feeling rather weak and out of shape when compared to the days she could trek across Japan in any kind of weather wearing only a school uniform, before heading out into the streets of Minnesota, the Twin Cities to be exact. Given the bad mood she was already in, she paid little attention to her surroundings. Save for the power that was nearby; that she could not ignore no matter how she tried. It was dark and distinctly Western, something she had to scrunch her nose up at in distaste. It was so unfamiliar, and she was already homesick.

America and she did not agree in the slightest.

Given the darkness of the near-dawn, she almost missed the source. Though she did not know how she could, given his state of dress. Entirely muscle in his height and build, dressed all in black down to his hair. She would not be surprised if his eyes were also black, given his dark appearance. It would be too fitting. Yet as he walked closer and his image became clearer to her eyes-he was much, much taller close up-a muzzy sensation took over her mind.

She knew she could see him, he was plain to her eyes, yet something in her mind screamed that there was a dark power at work. Something that was trying to remove his image from her memory even so soon after seeing him. They had not even crossed paths, yet the closer he came the stronger the pain became. In the middle of the block, she stopped and clenched her eyes shut. Resisting the urge to clutch her head was harder than she first thought, and she really did not need anyone to think she was crazy.

If only they knew the half of it.

Kagome gave in to her desire halfway. She lifted one hand to her forehead, appearing as if she was going to massage her temples. Given her foreign looks people would assume she was tourist who was trying to remember directions, or so she hoped with her actions. In truth, she summoned some of her hama no reiryoku into her fingertips and used the motion to throw off whatever was trying to make her forget. It took only one swipe, though in its defense she did have a little too much power gathered in her fingertips, to remove the dark power from her mind.

But not without a jolt hard enough to make her stumble. And if she was not mistaken, the man who brought on the feeling stumbled as well.

_Good_. He deserved it.

He recovered first, steadying her after she stumbled into him. His large hands dwarfed her shoulders, making her feel small and insignificant. The look he gave her only intensified the feeling. With just one touch and one look, he had managed to strip away all the centuries and coldness immortality and death had brought, and she finally felt human for once. Being able to see him so close up made her stiffen with awe and wonder. She had seen gods and youkai who had been beautiful beyond words so many times that she was immune, but to see a human with such looks... It felt as if her whole world had been brought back to what it had been when she had been a little fifteen-year old girl.

Or it could have been a side-effect of banishing such power from her mind and memories. She liked to think it was the former.

She straightened and backed away when he broke eye contact with her. The spell or whatever had been broken, and they both realized it. She bowed her head. "I'm sorry about that, but thank you."

He waved it off. "Don't think about it."

And then he walked away. There was a certain slump to his shoulders that made her curious. And his choice of words... Though she may not be a native of the country, she knew enough to know that was not a common farewell, especially not to strangers.

It was all so curious.

She turned and continued on her way as well, thoughts of him in her mind. It was such a strange situation... That power, that man. It was just another mystery to add on to the reasons why she had been brought to America. Though her bad mood had all but disappeared. Maybe she did not dislike the country that much when she thought about it.


	2. To Be Remembered

**To Be Remembered**_**  
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* * *

It had been a month since she had been asked to head to America with her miko in order to help out Artemis with one of the humans she had taken under her wing. One month, and still very little had been revealed, but such was what happened whenever gods got together. Far too much posturing, too much unease, too much distaste... It meant that even when help had been requested of another god, it was not going to be the fastest process. As it was, it had taken a good four centuries for Artemis to even admit she needed help, and that had only been at the pestering of her most prized pet. On the other hand, gods and the humans and other creatures they had taken under their wing had nothing but time on their hands.

When one was immortal, it was hard to care about the passing of time.

Yet even Amaterasu was getting more than a little annoyed. Her miko was a little more upset than she. The West was not entirely meant for them, as they were of the East. As Amaterasu-ōmikami, she was meant to be in Nippon. Not America.

It was why she had requested that Artemis bring her Acheron to her humble home where they could all meet and mingle. Hopefully the presence of Kagome and the other would speed up the process of getting answers.

"Is this acceptable, Amaterasu?" Kagome asked her, dressed in something more befitting her miko.

Earlier she had been dressed in the regular clothes of a miko, drab and unflattering. No matter how traditional they were, they were not acceptable for such a meeting. She had sent Kagome to change in to something more fitting, though that would not outshine either goddess at the same time. Amaterasu cared little if her miko looked better than her as she was not _that_ vain, but she would rather Kagome not upset the other goddess who was. Now she was wearing a simple kimono, bright in its whites and shades of gold, a perfect mold to who she served. Kagome turned in a circle, if not a little impatiently, waiting for approval.

Amaterasu hid her smile behind her hand. "Yes, this Amaterasu-ōmikami finds it acceptable."

Her ever-youthful miko sighed and sat down less than gracefully next to her. "Finally!"

The goddess smothered her chuckles as Kagome began to fuss over her hair and the ornaments in it. Ever since that first day they had arrived here, Kagome had been somewhat back to her old self. She knew the woman could never be back to who she had been as time had made that impossible, but it was nice seeing some form of life and spirit back in her eyes and mannerisms. Immortality was not meant for all, especially not those who still had a soul. "Kagome, do you remember what this Amaterasu-ōmikami has told you?"

"Yes, yes," Kagome said as her hands stilled for only a moment. "I've hidden my bow, though I think it's stupid. I'm not to look at the man she'll be bringing directly, as she's too jealous and possessive and likely to be in a horrible mood. And I'm under no circumstances to speak without being spoken to, nor am I to make myself too noticeable to the goddess." She stopped fussing over Amaterasu's hair and placed her hands in her lap. "Even for a guest, that's too many rules about etiquette."

Amaterasu placed her hand on top of hers, giving the girl a reassuring squeeze. "You have become too far gone from your own society if you do not notice that the rules of etiquette have yet to change. This Amaterasu-ōmikami is only enforcing such rules given our guests. This Amaterasu-ōmikami believes she has broken a rule between that god Artemis and her hunters, so it would be in all our best interest to be as gracious as possible."

She could feel Kagome's curious gaze. "If you're making her break a rule, why did she agree to it?"

"This Amaterasu-ōmikami is much older than that god Artemis. It is also that god Artemis who has requested help of this Amaterasu-ōmikami and Amaterasu no Miko. That god Artemis is obliged to curb her rules."

Kagome sighed and leaned back into the couch. "She has too many then."

"It would appear that way to you." Amaterasu inclined her head in agreement.

She knew she had caught Kagome's attention from the way she cast looks at her. It was not often, as their meetings were few, that Kagome was provided with such insight into the world of gods. The young woman also went out of her way to make sure she was not involved in their matters. "Does that mean you have too many rules as well?"

"Any god who dares mingle with humans in ways that this Amaterasu-ōmikami and that god Artemis has are required to have rules. That would cause many a catastrophe had we none."

Kagome smiled. "And we all know you gods are more than capable of causing 'many a catastrophe' without the help of us humans."

Amaterasu laughed, the bell-like sound filling the room with pale light. It was one thing she always enjoyed about Kagome: the woman had a way of making her laugh at their every meeting. With dark eyes still twinkling with mirth, she tilted her head towards the door. "Kagome, our guests have arrived."

With her only sign of protest being a harsh sigh, Kagome stood and opened the door. She bowed immediately, not meeting any of their eyes, though leaving enough room for anyone to enter with no issue. "This lowly Amaterasu no Miko welcomes you."

As hoped, Artemis paid little attention to Kagome's bowed form. Amaterasu had heard far too many rumors and factual gossip to not be leery of the Western god, mainly about her predilection towards the humans, male and female, who were beautiful with exotic looks. Though she usually went for the taller ones, she had taken on a few who were shorter than her that she had liked. It was not unheard of for a god to steal a human or two of another god. Knowing the kind of woman Artemis was, she would not doubt that she would try to steal Kagome if she had a chance to see and talk to the woman.

Were her presence unnecessary, Amaterasu would have sent Kagome out for the day.

"Artemis." Amaterasu bowed slightly towards the red-headed woman who wore dark colors like her light-haired Acheron. It seemed as if they were to match today; Amaterasu and her miko wearing light colors and having dark hair, while Artemis and her most prized hunter wore dark clothing and had light hair. It was an odd change in clothing and looks, one Amaterasu was not sure she liked entirely.

"Amaterasu." Artemis extended the greeting.

The haughty look and displeased set of Artemis' lips let her know this was not going to be the best meeting between them.

* * *

Kagome tried her hardest not to sigh or shift too noticeably in her spot on the floor next to Amaterasu. Artemis and Acheron had arrived in the darkness of the predawn that morning, and it was now nearing the evening. The meeting between the two had reminded her exactly why she tried her hardest to stay out of such problems as it was too boring and filled with too much convoluted speech for her to be bothered with following. Instead she applied the useful technique of "selective hearing".

Through it she had deduced that Artemis' pets were called Dark Hunters, and she had discovered bits and pieces about why she was present, though she knew most of it. He was not a conventional Dark Hunter, having been tricked by a female Dark Hunter into trading souls through another Western god, called Loki, so that she may be free from being one. Yet it had been discovered and the souls traded back, with him becoming an actual Dark Hunter though Artemis did not have his soul. His soul was the only one she did not have, though he was granted all the other gifts of being one of her hunters thanks to the strange situation. It made little sense to her, but she was not going to focus on it.

Instead, she focused on the sad curse it seemed to have afflicted him with. Though Artemis used the term "power". From the way Amaterasu and Acheron looked away, they did not agree in that assessment. She soon found out why: it was the power of amnesia. No human or animal could remember him five minutes after leaving his presence. Then Kagome had to agree; it was not a gift, but a curse. Being remembered by only gods was not as glamorous as many people would think: it led to a very lonely existence. Kagome knew it all too well, though she did not know how it would feel to be unable to have no human remember her as she was not cursed in that way.

"Kagome," Amaterasu said, catching her full attention.

She shivered at the way Artemis looked at her, as if she was sizing her up. For once, she was glad she had not worn her bandanna to hide her mark. It stopped the goddess from doing more than looking. At least as Amaterasu's pet she was able to have her soul. Bowing quickly, hiding her face from the view of Artemis and Acheron, she said, "What is it Amaterasu-ōmikami requests of her lowly miko?"

She hoped the feeling of her goddess' remorseful gaze was not her imagination. "This Amaterasu-ōmikami grants you permission to be taken by that god Artemis' Acheron to meet her hunter. This Amaterasu-ōmikami request that you do your best to fulfill the desire of that god Artemis."

Kagome bowed lower. "Of course, Amaterasu-ōmikami." Keeping her head down, she rose.

She could hear the sound of leather creaking as Acheron walked closer to her. She dared not look up in order to not offend either god, and also because she was sure she would stare a moment too long at him. Though deceptively human looking, Kagome knew he was not. Though she had come across too many gods and youkai to be impressed with another pretty face, there was something captivating about him.

Before she could open the door for him, he did for her. It was surprising enough that she almost looked up. And then the warning Amaterasu had given her about looking at him directly in front of Artemis echoed in her mind. It was enough to keep her head down.

They walked in silence until they came to his car. Once the doors closed, it seemed as if the air changed completely. Though Acheron kept his eyes on the road, or so she assumed as he wore dark sunglasses, he said, "You don't have anything to worry about from her. Only if you die and demand vengeance, then I'd be worried about what she could do."

Kagome sighed, glad to drop the stiff formal speech that she so hated. "That's what Amaterasu said to me, but it's still nice to be polite. I have a long streak of bad luck with the supernatural."

"Obviously," he quipped. "Bad luck is how we get into any mess involving gods."

Despite herself, she found herself smiling and enjoying the small talk. It had been a long while she had had someone other than a god to talk to. "Very true," she said before pausing. "Is Artemis always-"

"A bitch?" he provided.

She bit her bottom lip. "I wasn't going to use such a word..."

He shrugged. "There's many other less flattering words we have for her."

She kept quiet, not wanting to say something that would make its way back to Artemis' ears. Knowing her luck, something would. After a prolonged moment of silence, Kagome ventured a change of topic. "Is this 'Wulf's power as bad as it was described?"

"Yes."

His blunt answer made her feel a little foolish for asking such an obvious question, but she still had one more question to ask. "Has anything been done before to counteract it?"

"I've had a few ideas on what to do to soften it, but I'd like to see what you may be able to do."

She looked down at her hands, not liking the faith they were putting in her. She had yet to meet their Wulf, had yet to see the extent of his power, and so had no idea if she could even do a thing for him. Perhaps she would even find herself subject to it and unable to remember him.

Only when the car slowed down did she look up, not recognizing any of her surroundings. The Twin Cities was not a place she was familiar with, especially at night, since she had been warned about stepping outside. It was not safe, not even for someone like her. It seemed normal enough, though. That same dark power from a month before hovered close by, but she quickly banished it from her mind before she could cause a scene similar to the one back then. She really did not need to go around stumbling into perfect strangers again.

Even though he wore dark glasses, she could tell Acheron was giving her a strange look. Her little use of her hama no reiryoku had caught his attention, though he did not press her for information. She knew from the feeling of his gaze that it would only be a matter of time before he asked about it.

They exited his car in silence and made their way to Wulf's door. They had used up all of their conversational topics already; it remained to be seen if new ones would be spawned from this trip.

However, Kagome was caught off-guard when the man she bumped into on the street a month ago answered the door. Could fate truly work in such overt ways? When she saw his eyes light up with a small hint of recognition that possibly mirrored her own, she considered the possibility that it could. She knew Acheron had caught the look, and was possibly wondering how they could recognize each other.

"It's you," she breathed out. Her words probably did not help Acheron's confusion nor her position in the situation much.

* * *

Three months was far longer than she had anticipated staying in America, but then she had underestimated the length of time it took gods to do things again. Her very first month had been spent in limbo along with Amaterasu as they tried gathering all the necessary information, and trying to garner the permission needed for Kagome to meet the cursed hunter of Artemis. Then the following two months were spent making sure her remembrance of Wulf was not just a fluke, but real.

Amaterasu and Artemis decided to try different ways of separating them. Sometimes for only a few hours, other times for many days. She had even been allowed to accompany Amaterasu back to Japan for a few days in order to inform the gods there of what was happening to see if the distance would affect it. Yet nothing did. Not even when she would hang around him for more than a day. Though she could easily get rid of the hold his curse had on her, she could not remove it from him.

And they knew; she had tried many different things under Acheron's watchful eye.

Yet nothing worked. Though with the way he would glance between the two of them, he had a plan formulating behind his dark glasses. Kagome had a nagging suspicion that he shared his idea with the two goddesses, given the way she would sometimes see them look at her. And Amaterasu was never good at hiding a secret, so she had been saying a few _interesting_ things to her.

_"This Amaterasu-ōmikami believes it to be in our best interest to cultivate ties with this Western World."_

_"This Amaterasu-ōmikami would not mind if you spent a few days keeping the young Wulf company. A sympathetic soul is often the best friend."_

_"Kagome, you should know better than to cause such worry to him. You are his only companion he is able to have contact with."_

Had circumstances been different, Kagome would have not given her words or word choice a second thought. Yet when it was coupled with some of the dirty looks Artemis would send her when Amaterasu was not looking, it caused Kagome to be highly suspicious. She could brush it off as too much change too soon after too many years spent with only a god for company if Wulf had not shared her suspicions.

As it was, they spent many hours together and they had struck up an odd sort of friendship. They both were under no illusions as to why they were interacting, and they knew that as soon something had been figured out, Kagome would head back to Japan with Amaterasu. That was, if Artemis did not bring some unfortunate accident upon her for getting so involved with one of her hunters.

Kagome huffed, sticking her hands deeper in coat pockets. It was another night she was left alone, told to spend it away from Wulf. Amaterasu was also gone, discussing things over with Artemis and Acheron from what she could gather. Whenever the goddess had something to keep secret, she tried being as vague as possible to avoid giving anything away. She knew she had been told not to wander much during the night, but honestly what did they expect? She was over four-hundred years old trapped in a sixteen year old's body, and bored out of her mind. If they did not want her wandering around, they would have given her something else to do to keep occupied.

Though she was beginning to see why they may have told her that. They all had, after all, explained to her about the Daimons and that they would especially be drawn to her because of her soul. That was all they really cared about. She just had not cared at the time because the threat did not register to her. She had never come across anything she could not kill or harm with her hama no reiryoku. Though when even Amaterasu had warned her because these creatures were one of the few things that could kill her, it had worried her. And it had thrilled her because she could die. She had thought nothing was able to kill her, so to hear that filled her with equal parts of terror and thrill. It had been too long since she had last been in such a situation.

She looked behind her to see the three dark lithe figures following her. She had a feeling they were not normal humans, but those Daimons. She had expected to feel thrill and adrenaline, yet only cold fear gripped her. It had been too long since she had been in a fight where she actually ran a risk of dying. And she had no clue how to fight like that anymore. She suddenly wished she had not spent the last four-hundred years inside her home on Honshu.

Taking in a deep breath of cold air to steel her nerves, she turned down a side street. And took off running down it. She tried to listen beyond the sounds of her own breathing and footsteps pounding down the street to the sounds of pursuit.

It did not last long.

She swallowed her fear as she heard the telltale thuds of bodies hitting the ground. She only stopped when she heard three. It was against her better judgment that she stopped as she had no desire to meet what had taken down her pursuers. Her heart that had become lodged in her throat agreed with her.

"You really can't stay away from trouble even if you tried, can you?"

At hearing Wulf's teasing, if not annoyed voice, filled her with more relief than she knew how to express. Had she been a younger woman, she was sure she could have cried from such a feeling. Yet she was not that child anymore. And she was sure there was going to be more than one lecture waiting for her tomorrow. However a very valuable lesson had been learned from the experience: she was not going to be out during the night without someone ever again. At least not until she knew if she could use her hama no reiryoku to kill Daimons, as they were still humans no matter how dark and cursed.

She turned and had issues trying to spot Wulf in the darkness of the night. His dark clothing and hair always made him hard to find on dark nights, though his fair skin usually stood out. This time she relied on the glint of light from his blades as he cleaned and put them away. With one long breath, she chuckled humorlessly. "Then how else would I be able to come across you if I didn't find trouble?"

She could hear his boots as he walked closer, and she was finally able to make out his figure. "We warned you against going out at night for a reason, Kagome. What would you have done if you couldn't kill them?"

Those words reminded her of her reasons for being around better than anything else, and she could not decide if she should feel angry or sad about it. Though they had an odd friendship, and she was sure she was developing some sort of hero-crush (if not a normal crush) on the beautiful cursed man, it hurt to be reminded of her only reason for having met him. He was the first man she had talked to in centuries, and he knew her loneliness as she knew his. And at the same time, she was possibly the only way for his gift of amnesia over everyone else to be lifted. It was too easy to forget that fact in his presence when he spoke that way to her.

She settled on feeling both angry and sad, which she was sure showed in how she sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I'd have winged it?"

He grabbed her upper arm, pulling her close enough to see the worry and anger in his countenance. "You better think of a better reason to tell Amaterasu and Acheron by tomorrow."

Kagome sighed again before attempting to pull away. "Thanks for the advice, _mother_. I'll keep it in mind." She huffed and tried yanking her arm out of his grip. "Could you let go already!"

In response he grinned and pulled her close again. "What's wrong little priestess? Don't you know the magic word?"

Unwilling to play his games that night especially after everything that had happened, she glared. "Let go _please_."

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"I said please already, so just... Just," she stuttered, unable to contain her frustration. It had been too long since she had last been in an actual fight. It had been too long since she had last felt fear. It had been too long since she had had a man play hero and save her. She knew she should be thankful, but at the moment, she just wanted to head back to the house she shared with Amaterasu and forget the night had ever happened.

Wulf's grip on her arm loosened, though he did not let go. "Come on, I'll return you to your god tomorrow."

Her shoulders slumped, but she did not offer any fuss. She was thankful he understood, he knew the pain of entering a lonely home and knowing it would be a while before anyone came to visit. The loneliness was more crushing than normal since she had come to know Wulf more. And she liked to think he felt the same at times like this.


	3. Double Entendres

**Double Entendres**_**  
**_

* * *

"Do you honestly think it will work?" Amaterasu asked Acheron, Artemis not being around for this private meeting. The culmination of two months worth of meetings had still come down to little more than a "maybe".

The goddess of the hunt had already spoken her piece on what she thought of this idea to soften the curse, and would say no more. In Amaterasu's humble opinion, the woman was far too possessive over those she considered hers. She obviously did not understand the simple fact that the tighter one held onto anything, the more it yearned to escape. From observing the distaste with which Acheron interacted with Artemis and the ways in which Wulf talked about the goddess, she had little doubt that her hunters would rise up against her one day.

She had brought it all upon herself. Amaterasu could not find it in herself to warn the goddess about the folly of her ways, nor was she even certain Artemis would take them to heart. The woman was too cocky and conceited for her own good.

Tapping his fingers against the table between them, Acheron thought his plan over carefully again. It did not take a genius to see how much Acheron cared about the well-being of his fellow hunters, enough that he had helped cultivate the situations that lead to this meeting. The meeting that would hopefully be the last between them. "Given all you've revealed about miko, and yours most specifically, it's hard to tell. But I'm certain it'll work in nearly every aspect. Nothing like this has ever been attempted before. And definitely not with their two unique cases."

From within one of her long kimono sleeves, Amaterasu produced a small vial filled with blood. Even Acheron could sense the power that lay in it. It was Kagome's, taken with her knowledge. She was certain that Kagome would have done anything asked in order to help out her newfound friend that they all hoped turned into something more. "This Amaterasu-ōmikami has brought her miko's blood as asked, filled with her power. If this Amaterasu hands it over, she would like to be reassured no harm will come to either if it does not work."

"You have my word. As I explained before, it'll work on his blood relatives. And when it takes effect, it won't change a thing about him or her. If all your pushing works and they find themselves in a relationship, it's the only way we'll know if it works or not, given who and what they both are, as said."

She placed the vial on the table with a knowing smile. "The one thing a god cannot force is now up to them. This Amaterasu-ōmikami is most certain that when the reality of it finds that god Artemis, she will be most displeased."

He took the blood vial and slipped it into one of the pockets on his jacket. "She'll have to deal with it. She doesn't have his soul and she's not stupid enough to try anything with Kagome. And I'll deal with her before it gets to that point."

Amaterasu tilted her head in agreement. "This Amaterasu-ōmikami thanks you. It will be difficult to adjust to dwelling here in the West, though this Amaterasu-ōmikami will cope with it until the fruition of our plot."

Acheron nodded and stood. "Yeah. Hopefully it won't take too long for something to happen between them and we can test out this solution. It won't cure all, but it'll weaken it enough. Either way, I'm glad both of you came and lent a hand."

"Ties between East and West are most beneficial to cultivate with the ways that world is changing. This Amaterasu-ōmikami is most thankful for having this opportunity. More so given that you and your Wulf have been a most gracious help in more than one way."

* * *

Kagome removed her shoes as she entered his home as she always did, though he usually teased her about it. When he made no comment but carelessly removed his long black jacket, she seriousness of the situation earlier that night hit home. She had often done things that caused her to be in loads of trouble when she had been mortal, but that had been when she was mortal. Since becoming the pet of a god, she had laid low and cut off contact with most other people until recently.

It had been four-hundred years since she had last been in any troubling situation. And never with someone else's curse hanging in the balance. Then again, it was not like anything existed in Japan that could actually kill her, so the warning had fallen on deaf ears. Amaterasu, at the very least, should have known that the best way to teach her that something was dangerous was to make her experience it first-hand, like she had done that night. Yet coupled with the way the goddess had been acting the last month and all her strange sentences, she felt like Amaterasu had been hoping this would happen. And it spoke of how much trust she had in Wulf or Acheron to make sure she did not die.

"You know your face scrunches up when you think too deeply," Wulf said, a dark teasing look on his face that was plain to Kagome's face. She was sure her look changed to one of confusion given the grin that stole across his face. "It's unattractive."

Those words, however, caused any expression other than ire to fade. She strode over toward him, her jaw set. "Oh, you have some _nerve_," she said, poking him in the chest when she was close enough. "What are you playing at? You save a girl and then insult her, I swear you make no _sense_." She gave him one last hard poke, which probably was not the best idea as he caught it in his hand.

"That's what they all say." He chuckled, low and sinfully enough to make her blush and try to pull her hand free. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you enjoy getting caught. Becoming slow in your old age?"

She huffed, trying to control her blushing and retrieve her captive finger. "You're older, aren't you?" Her words and the ones he had said seconds before registered in her mind a moment too late to take them back and she lost the fight with her blush. "Don't answer, but could you let me go or do I have to say please again?"

He appeared to think it over and given the look on his face, she did not entirely want to know what he was thinking. And she was also on guard as that look of his usually meant he was going to do something dirty, as she had been accustomed to during their strange friendship. She did not think he could help it, more so since she did spend too many nights with him for any normal person to consider decent. With little warning, as with most of his actions, he pulled her closer, turning her so her back was pressed to his chest. In a quick maneuver, he had her arms crossed against her chest, his much stronger arms keeping them in place.

He was entirely too close and too warm, though she would blame the strength of his arms for her shortness in breath. It really was too cruel, he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on her. He had a cruel sense of humor at times, or so she would argue. And then there were times he would back off immediately, as if he was worried she would not remember him in the morning. She could not blame him then, as it had to be depressing to be in that situation.

She could feel him hunch over in order to bring his head closer to hers, given that he was so much taller than her. "I can't deny that I enjoy it when you beg, but would it get you to say what's wrong with you?"

Her earlier blush came back tenfold at his first words, but his following words were like ice to her. If only she could disappear into a hole in the world right at that moment, yet they never appeared when she needed one. He exhaled heavily when she shrunk into herself, yet he said nothing. She was thankful for it before she felt his arms tighten around her. She was sure her eyes were twice their normal size when he straightened, lifting her off her feet at the same time. He did a half-turn quickly and once again set her on her feet, this time further in his home and with him blocking her one exit, before untangling her from his arms.

Though she spun to face him, given how he had had her trapped, she turned away quickly. Her hands came up to cover her cheeks, trying to will her heavy blush away while also trying to calm down her furiously beating heart. Though it had been frightening to be lifted and spun while held in such an unconventional manner, it had been exhilarating. Though she was more than certain Inuyasha had had more strength than Wulf, he would have never been so bold to do something like that.

Releasing a shaky breath, she still did not dare turn to face him. "You really shouldn't do such things, Wulf."

She could hear him lean against the wall next to the door. "And why is that?"

She finally lowered her hands. "You do know that Acheron is close to finding a way to soften your curse, don't you? So close in fact that it may only be a matter of days?"

"He said something along those lines yesterday." She could hear his feigned nonchalance in his voice. Much like her, he was trying his hardest to not get his hopes up about having his curse altered in a good way.

Kagome sighed and slumped her shoulders. "If it works, I will be heading back to Japan with Amaterasu... And when you act like this..." She trailed off, unwilling to finish her sentence or thought. Though they both knew what she was going to say. "I've already given Amaterasu some of my blood and power so that Acheron can do whatever he's going to do. We'll know in a couple of days, he said, to see if your blood relatives remember you."

He laughed. "For someone who knows so much about what's happening, you're still blind to the obvious. Amaterasu isn't returning permanently to Japan for a long while."

She turned to face him, confusion and shock plain on her face. "What?"

"Amaterasu has been working with Acheron to make some strong ties between the two cultures." He shook his head and headed over to her. "Have you been so worried about me that you haven't noticed it? I'm flattered."

She opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. There was an almost certainty that whatever she was going to say was not going to come out properly given her state of shock and embarrassment. Instead she took a step back, a blush once again appearing across her cheeks. His presence had suddenly become too much, his teasing hitting a little too close to her heart. It was not entirely worry, per se, but more like she was trying to find ways to savor all the time she had with him before she went back to her lonely, self-imposed lonely existence in Japan. After all, it was too depressing to make friends with mortals as they died too soon.

Yet an immortal was entirely different. And so were gods. As a rule of thumb, she stayed out of the affairs of gods because many were callous and enjoyed causing trouble. Not to mention, Amaterasu's brothers were not the kindest gods that existed. They took sibling rivalry to new levels. And in Japan, she had never come across another immortal like her. But with Wulf... She did not really have to worry about him dying anytime soon.

The grin on his face became something entirely sinful at her continued silence, backing her up with every step he took. She felt as if he had finally realized something, and she was not sure if she liked it. She broke eye contact for not even a second to see where she had to go as she was not going to be a cliche woman and let him back her into a wall. Though, that thought had a lot of merit to it. Finding very few options open, she turned to look back at him, only to find him gone.

He moved too fast for her eyes to see most of the time, and he had to know by now how much she hated it when he pulled something like this. Even though she knew he had to be close by, she still jumped when she felt his fingers brush against her arm. "So, Kagome, am I right or am I _right_?"

She crossed her arms and turned around. "You're far too self-assured."

"But you're not denying it." He smirked, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer.

"Well... I don't... remember the question?" she said, her statement sounding more like a question than she intended. Wulf always had that ability to make her forget what she was saying or take all the anger out of her tirade with just one look or touch. She blamed it entirely on the way his thumb brushed along her spine this time.

"We're discussing how you're too oblivious to notice what's right in front of you."

He looked at her with a certain depth to his eyes that made her wonder. She knew they had been discussing what Amaterasu had been doing and how she had not noticed, but the way he said it with those eyes... It made her wonder and hope for something else, something deeper than fixing a curse. And it made her afraid; afraid that her hopes would be crushed because she was just imagining things.

Though she was more than certain she was not imagining the way he leaned in closer or how he focused on her lips. The man was too full of sex appeal, and he knew it which made it so much more alluring. There was something beyond sexy and appealing about a man who was secure in who he was, especially when he was already so attractive. And she had been trying so hard to remain distant in the fear that she would have to leave all too soon.

He paused centimeters from kissing her, his dark smirk never leaving his face as he looked at her. "Over four-hundred and never been kissed have you?"

She blushed, something she had done more that night than ever before in her life, and jerked back. It sounded quite lame when he said it which made it all the more embarrassing. His other hand brushed back her hair from her face before tracing her jawline to her chin. In that soft movement, she forgot how to breathe. "Don't worry, I know how to be gentle." His warm breath caressed her lips as he chuckled.

She hated how much he teased her, but she hated how much she loved it more. And the jerk knew it too.

His kiss was something she had not been expecting. Though his lips were firm against hers, coaxing them into moving without her permission, it was not forceful. Given everything she had heard and seen, she expected it to be a passionate kiss full of force and longing. This was passionate in another way, one she could and could not deal with.

It changed everything because had he never kissed her, she might have been able to return to her old life in Japan in some way. She knew that one day her heart may have returned to her in Japan. But after this... There was no way she could return to anything in her old life. It would break her heart in ways she never knew. Even if his cursed was lifted in some way, as it was a very near certainty, she did not want to leave. Immortality was such a lonely road, and lost companionship made it all the more lonely.

She barely noticed when both of his hands rested on her hips, though she could feel the roughness of his calloused palms and their warmth. They slid down just a little further, his long fingers wrapping around her thighs, and he pulled back. With half-closed eyes, she followed him before catching herself. He had to have been bent at an uncomfortable angle, given the difference in their height. And much like earlier, he used his grip on her thighs to hoist her up. Caught off-guard for the briefest of moments, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

This time she could definitely feel where his hands were, as he had slipped them under her shirt and rested them in the dip of her waist. She was more than sure that her face was stuck forever in a blush from the way this night had turned. All thoughts of daimons, Artemis' dirty looks, Japan, and lectures were far from her mind. "Much better," he said, before burying his face against her neck.

If she was not imagining anything, she could feel his fangs brush against her skin. It had to be deliberate as she had not felt them when he kissed her. She found her breath stolen from her once again, it could not be healthy at all. "Do you know how long I've wanted to do this to you? You're such an oblivious little spitfire."

"And you talk too much." Her breath came out more breathy than she would have liked. Though from the way his arms tightened around her, and how one hand feathered its way across her back, he had to enjoy the sound. And it would just figure it fed his lasciviousness.

His tongue licked across her collarbone in response. "Someone has to, Kagome." The way he said her name sent a jolt down her spine, that husky tone would be her undoing.

He readjusted his grip on her, turning them towards the couch. Her grip on him never lessened, but tightened as he sat down. She was just glad he did not toss her onto it, though she knew it had to have crossed his mind. It took only a moment for him to have her on her back, her legs still wrapped around his waist. With exaggerated slowness to her eyes, he pulled off his black sweater. For the first time, she noticed his necklace, a crucifix and a hammer, when he leaned over her. Had circumstances been different, she would have asked about the meaning.

All his heat and muscle and strength surrounded her, however, and such details were quickly forgotten. As he placed open-mouthed kisses across her jaw and neck, one of his hands pulling down the neckline of her shirt in order to touch more of her skin with his mouth, her hands gripped the back of his head, her nails lightly scratching his scalp and fingers threading through his dark hair. His tongue just caressed her cleavage before he pulled away, sitting back.

She resisted the urge to sigh in aggravation.

His hands played with the hem of her shirt, lifting it just enough to grab her attention. "Don't get pissy with me, you're the one wearing too much."

The reality of the situation began to pierce the fog of lust in her mind. Swallowing thickly as she tried to cover her chest. "Amaterasu..."

He caught her hands and pinned them over her head, smirking down at her with a certain knowledge, "I don't think she's going to save you this time. So don't think."

She tugged her hands free before sitting up. "You're still talking too much." And she pulled her shirt over her head. Before it landed on the ground in an unitdy heap, Wulf was back to kissing his way across the swell of her breasts, one of the few moments he was quiet that night as they made love on his couch. The bed was too far away for them to make it to for the rest of the night.

* * *

Amaterasu finally stood from the table, ready to leave and head back to the place she shared with her miko. Her business was done with Acheron for the moment, it was up to him to work his power over Kagome's blood and ability and mix it with those of Wulf's blood relatives. She could feel the shifting of power in her miko and hid a secretive smile behind her hand. Though she had not aided Artemis in this situation with the intention of building such ties with the West, it was most beneficial.

And though she would miss spending most of her time in Nippon, she had to admit that this side of the world had enough interesting situations and people that she could be kept occupied for a very long time. After all, her miko could never be far from her home, whether main or temporary, for long, and she was not a god who enjoyed imposing constricting chains upon her miko. Kagome had served her well for many centuries, living a lonely life, this small sacrifice was something she could give him.

She met Acheron's curious stare with a knowing one of her own. "This Amaterasu-ōmikami must say that you shall see results very soon. Fate may have had a hand in their early meeting, it had little to do with what is happening." She gave him a very slight bow before turning to leave, her golden sleeves dragging as they began to fade. "You shall need to speak to Artemis much sooner than you had planned."

Acheron shook his head and could not help his laugh as she faded. He had to hand it to Wulf though, he did manage to last two months in the continued presence of the only human woman who had managed to remember him. It was much longer than some of the other Dark Hunters would have been able to last.

* * *

**Fin.**


End file.
